More than three years have passed since Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine. In order to ensure a coordinated framework of reception across member states, the European Union was quick to activate, for the very first time, the Temporary Protection Directive. Thanks to this directive, over 4 million Ukrainian refugees have gained access to essential services, including:
- a renewable residence permit;
- access to the labor market;
- access to adequate housing;
- access to healthcare and education systems.
The activation of the directive demonstrated that a rapid and coordinated intervention is possible. However, as the war drags on, it has become necessary to address the challenges linked to the long-term presence of refugees in host countries, moving beyond emergency management.
HumanityHub was created in response to this need. The project aims to identify the barriers hindering the full socio-economic participation of Ukrainian refugees and to promote concrete pathways that truly meet their needs.
Through focus groups, participants have already highlighted how the lives of refugees are heavily affected by legal uncertainty, and how access to employment is hindered by structural barriers: language difficulties, the lack of recognition of professional qualifications obtained in their home country, and marginalization into precarious or underqualified jobs. These elements also help explain why entrepreneurial pathways often emerge as an alternative option.
Yet participation in the labor market – and the difficulties surrounding it, which in turn affect access to other services and to stable housing – also depends on meeting additional conditions: building social support networks, addressing the psychological vulnerabilities linked to conflict and displacement, and paying attention to gender-specific needs. The majority of refugees are in fact women, many with children, which requires not only targeted attention but also access to essential services such as childcare and support facilities, so that both work and daily life can become sustainable.
To address these challenges, HumanityHub brings together diverse expertise: the experience of the Rehabilitation Centre for Stress and Trauma (RCT) in developing psychosocial pathways, Act Group’s know-how in reskilling and entrepreneurship, and the legacy of the maieutic approach of the Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci ETS. The goal is to co-create with refugees participatory, holistic, and truly impactful approaches that support their long-term social and economic integration in Italy and Croatia.
Follow the campaign and discover upcoming initiatives on the project’s Instagram and LinkedIn pages!
HumanityHub – Where Cultural Inclusion Meets Economic Empowerment is a project funded by ESF+ Social Innovation+ (an initiative aimed at mitigating the societal consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine). It seeks to respond to the challenges that hinder the full economic and social participation of Ukrainian refugees in Italy and Croatia, by developing pathways built on a participatory approach and a holistic perspective.
Partners
- Coordinator: Rehabilitation Centre for Stress and Trauma (RCT), Croatia
- Act Group, Croatia
- Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo Danilo Dolci – ETS, Italy
For further information, follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn or contact melisa.bucur@danilodolci.org.